Newcomers in Gravity Falls
by Choconats
Summary: Hayleen Pekelman is a twelve years old girl whom came from New York to live with her father in Gravity Falls after her mother remarriage. How will she react to the misteries and wonders of this place? AU (Alternative Universe)
1. July 20 - Arriving in Gravity Falls

**July 20,**

This is so exiting! There are so many forests in Oregon, I could see it all through the plane's window, the only nature that I've ever know it was the Central Park and even there my mom didn't take me anymore. It's looks just like the ones in horror movies, awesome!

The flight was terrible, there was nothing to do, so, I ordered much food to eat, the lunch that mom prepared to me was so small for my hungry stomach. In the end, I spend all the money she gave me, but I couldn't even eat properly, because a very LARGE guy was sat in front of me, squeezing me all the way and I am short already! I tried to kick his chair, but his fatness must have suppressed my kicks.

Why of all the places, my dad picked a job in a little town in the other side of the country that anyone have ever heard anything about? At least is what my mom said about Gravity Falls – that is the name. It must be safer than New York. My mom didn't let me put my feet outside the house alone, I expect to have more fun here and even make some friends.

To be honest, I don't really know what is my dad's job, he tried to explain to me in the other day, but it was so boring that I left him talking alone – sorry dad!

My parents aren't married and I was three when he left home, but now I will be living with him again in Gravity Falls, with him and his girlfriend Rebecca Diaz. I've met her in my mom's marriage, six months ago and she's like, REALLY PRETTY, with her brown skin and dark long hair, look's so incredibly young.

She is very nice to me, very different from Charlie – my stepdad. I can't do anything with him and his rules around, much like my mom, they are perfect for each other.

And guess what? He has two other kids, Jimmy and Peter, the Terrible Brothers as I call them. That is because I can't get along with them, apparently, they don't like me. They make fun of my clothes – even my mom don't like them much, they play elaborated pranks on me all the time, as if this was the only thing they could do with their intelligence. Of course, this is not the case. They are some kind of SUPER GENIUS. We study in the same school, one of the bests middle schools of the country, and they always have the best grades, they also participate in many championships every year and even got many prizes and trophies for their science stuff.

So what? That doesn't make them any better if they just know how to pick on me!

Jimmy do all the plans, he has a sick obsession for tormenting me and I can't even fight back! I kick his ass once in school, we started a great fight in front of everyone, of course, the teacher saw it and called our parents. We were both punished, but his punishment wasn't even a real punishment, all he do is study when he isn't pissing me off, who got worse it was me, I couldn't eat more than 3 meals per day for a MONTH, or even watch movies until late.

Peter is cool the most time; he let me play with his videogame, even if one day they messed up the console so that I'd always lose. I didn't think he was that smart in the beginning, he has that silly vibe, but one day in breakfast I was trying to solve an impossible crossword, with such hard clues that even Charlie gave up, Peter took it off my hand and solve it in almost 30 seconds, come on! The good thing is that when I need help with my lessons he do it without making fun of me, like Jimmy would.

Unless the time he glued my skirt on the chair while teaching me.

Today my day went alone to pick me up in the airport, since I was moving for good I brought it up many things, It was impressive how much I could toss inside my old kinder garden backpack, it's still have the toothbrush stain that smells like mint forever.

The good thing about moving out to a new place is that nobody knows me. It's the perfect chance to cause a good first impression of myself, without my stepbrothers around I finally got this chance!

I WILL FOR SURE MAKE MANY FRIENDS IN GRAVITY FALLS!

The view is beautiful when the nightfall on the road to Gravity Falls. My dad turn on his old songs on the radio. The night is cold too around here, good because I never take of my scarf and my mom put it on my suitcase all my jackets. I fell asleep in the car.

When we arrived I wake up, but my body was still asleep, I couldn't sleep well on the flight thanks to that fat guy, fortunately my dad picked up my things and helped me to stay on my feet and don't fall when I get out of the car.

The house didn't seem lively and happy as it was on the photograph he showed to me. Now it seems REALLY dark and creepy, the pine trees swinging with the wind didn't helped at all.

There was nothing in the neighborhood too, just a few houses and closed shops, not a soul around too, so different from New York.

All the lights of the house were turned off, but it was just he unlock the front door that all the entrance lights turned on. If it were on Charlie's house Axe – the family dog – would be coming right through the door, pushing me down and licking my face. This scene with any other dog it would be cute, like a dog's food commercial, but this dog it's more like Dino from Flintstones. Axe is a huge and clumsy St Bernard, when he jump on me I can't be just that, he has to push me down, step on my belly, scratch my arms, pull my scarf with his teeth drooling on me.

But this time was Rebeca who attend the door, she wasn't wearing any make up this time, but she is still too beautiful for my sloopy dad. She hugged us, kissed us, made questions like "how was the travel?" with that sweet voice of hers, such an adorable person.

Therefor I was VERY TIRED, I just wanted to fall asleep on my bed. But I didn't want to be ungrateful, so I end up just giving them the sweetest smile I could, a good night and I went up straight to my bedroom on the second floor. My bedroom's window is up to the street, of course I ran to the window. I imagined that the sky here would have many stars, but I didn't think it will be THIS MANY, so beautiful, I could never see this sky from New York. I was almost asleep on the windowsill seat when I heard some strange noise coming from the forest in the other side of the road. I paid more attention to it; there was some kind of wild animal between the trees, I did my best to see what that was, but I forgot my contact lens in my backpack. Whatever that was, it growled to me, it was really scaring! I ran to my backpack and pick up my old flashlight, this junk didn't work well, on a hurry I hit it two times to turn on. When I came back to the window I pointed the light to the tress, but it was nothing there.

I'm not sure that I was dreaming, but I think the best thing to do it was close the window and curtains before come to the bed.


	2. July 21 - The Scary-Oke

**July 21,**

I woke up with the smell of pancakes this morning, made by Rebecca – my dad can't even do an omelet – they let me eat a lot, with all the syrup I wanted, I realized that I like being spoiled like that! My dad was reading a newspaper on breakfast and again I asked why we moved in the middle of the summer and the answer was the same as before, an emergency at his work, seems that they were in need of "specialized professional". He have always read a lot, when I was little I used to think that he was some kind of professor.

Well, that works for me, I didn't liked the nerd camp I was with my brothers, ant to spend all the summer there with them would have killed me. Moreover, now I have some time to get used to this place, even make some friends before the school start.

Later on the morning, my dad brought me to the re-opening of an old tourist attraction of Gravity Falls. Rebeca was raised in the Falls, but me and dad didn't know anything about the place. I asked Becca – as I call her – what is this attraction and she said that is a supernatural museum founded thirty years ago and apparently this old "Mystery Shack", as they call, was taken not so long ago by a mischievous brat known as Lil' Gideon, he lied to many people and ended up in jail. The villagers were celebrating, now that the Shack came back to the original owner, an old man called Stanford Pines.

Since it will be many people there and my usual clothes didn't made me "the most popular girl" on NY, with my rain boots and stripped socks, I decided to wear a fancy dress that my mom gave to me, to raise the chances of them having a good first impression of me.

The gift shop was full, there was even journalists covering up the re-opening. I saw too kids that seemed to be the same age as me on the stage, twins perhaps, a boy and a girl with brown hair.

They announced that at 20 o'clock, was the after-party on the Shack. That I really wanted to go! My dad gave me money to buy the ticket, so I followed the red haired girl to outside the shop, but after I bought, my dad DISAPPEARED.

Mr. Pines suddenly closed the Shack, everybody was heading home and I couldn't find my dad anywhere. I pass through the crowd asking one by one if they saw anyone who match with my description of him, a big guy with a pizza shirt said that he saw him talking with two men in black suits who came out of a black car, before he got into his own car and went home. That couldn't be! Why would he left me behind?

I came back to look for this black car and talk to these men myself, when I saw it, that was a government car! Why they came here for? I hid myself behind a big totem outside and observed them as they talked with Mr. Pines on the entrance of the gift shop. Something weird is going on! Mr. Pines tried to buy those guys! What I could hear is that those men were agents of the government who came here to investigate strange activities going on the Shack. Oh my god! This is huge! In addition, I didn't even have an cellphone to contact anyone… When those agents entered on the shop, I couldn't hear a thing anymore. Except for a high voice of an over-exited boy babbling about his assumptions. This old man is smart! He could deceive those idiots' agents, apparently. I was hopping talk to them to before they leaved the shop, but they turned on the car so fast that I couldn't follow them. The dust that the car raised made me cough.

I missed my chance… In addition, I ended up coming home by myself, because I was too embarrassed to stand there alone waiting for my dad to come back. That place didn't seemed so far, good that it is a small town. I was very mad at him! He arrived desperately at home, looking for me and I was sulking. He had to apologize to me with a big cheeseburger from Greasy's Diner for I forgive him. He hugged me and lend me his old cellphone, that way I could contact him anytime.

At night, I took a bath, changed my clothes and did my best to look presentable, I was wearing a lime green shorts matching my cap, a colored top, a stripped/polka dot jacket, sneakers and a hairpin that my dad gave to me long ago, a purple triangle with my initial printed on it. I was ready to the After-party on the Mystery Shack.

My dad gave me a ride, but he wouldn't be there with me, he said he had work to do. I paid the $ 10 of admission and the music was already going on, the whole town was there. I didn't know anyone, so, I was feeling kind of lost, a smiling girl wearing a cool boombox sweater (I assumed that was that Pines girl) complimented me on the way and then I saw some teenagers playing with the punch.

There was a girl around my age with them, she shed punch on the head of a lad that looked a bit like her, they had the same brown hair color, and I supposed that they were siblings. She noticed me staring and invited me to join the group, there were a fat guy (Thompson), I purple haired girl (Tambry), a blond (Lee) and a dark-skinned (Nate) guy with them. The girl's name is Eyli Dolley and the handsome teenager she was with it's her cousin Spencer Dolley.

We were dancing when I felt the cellphone my dad gave to me ringing on my pocket, he was calling me, but before I touch the answer button, the earth started shaking and I dropped it. Everybody was screaming and running, the red haired girl said that was an earthquake, what could I do? Somebody kicked my dad's phone away. Eyli pulled me to escape.

I told them that I left behind the cellphone to contact my dad. Spencer went back to pick it up for me and we were right after him, then we saw a scary thing! A CROWD OF ZOMBIES WAS AT THE PARTY! We were too scared to pick up the phone back, we just ran for our lives! Fortunately, Spencer could drive and came with his car or else we'd be doomed.

What is happening here? Soon we left that zombies back there we relaxed and Eyli told me that this whole town is weird, full of strange creatures that nobody seemed to notice, like the bear with multiple faces that have attacked her days ago. If I believe? You bet! So what I thought that I saw last night was real! The supernatural is real! They didn't know any more than that about this things, but she gave me her phone number, so I could contact her, seems that we are friends now, and I'm very thankful to her and her cousin. They are my first friends.

I knew I had to register these attacks, one day I will show this and somebody will believe in me.

They left me in home, my dad wasn't there but Rebecca was very concerned about me, she had my dad on the phone. I asked where he was, she said that he left to look for me. I wait for him to come this night, but it seemed that he was too busy and I don't know with what, he didn't wanted to tell at the phone. That way of acting is very suspicious, he is definitely hiding something of me!

I came to write all that happened today on my diary, I never had the habit to write on a diary before, because my days usually aren't this crazy. I almost didn't had any sleep this night.


	3. July 22 - The Bunker

**July 22,**

I planned to go to the Mystery Shack again this morning, to find my dad's cellphone; it wasn't that cheap for me to lose it. I didn't even had enough courage to tell my dad that I lost it, I just said that the battery was off, I needed to pick that back!

But for some reason, my dad didn't want me there, I know that he is hiding something of me and It has to do with that agents and the strange events on the Mystery Shack. I thought about following the road, but a shortcut through the forest seemed much more interesting. Besides, I had already did this before, so I went into the forest alone.

After some minutes, passing by a glade I sat on a tree trunk on the ground, I was starting felling lost. Then I saw a weird tree with some strange vertical hole, I stood up and touched the tree, the felling was like metal. I put my fingers on the gap and revealed an opening itself. This looked like a bathroom cabinet and inside was some kind of metal box, a machine, like an old radio. Now REALLY HAVE SOMETHING WEIRD GOING ON THIS TOWN!

I ran as fast as I could from that creepy thing, but not for so long, because the ribbon of my dress got stuck on branches, I pulled so hard that the branch snapped and I tripped on a rock that drown on the ground like a button. I heard a noise of something opening and a hole appeared right under my feet! It was the size of a manhole on NY.

I screamed as I fell thought this metal pipe full of spider webs. I was sliding against the walls, so, the fall didn't hurt much, the hole ended up on a underground tunnel, seems to be excavated by someone or something. This moment I was already freaking out! I followed the tunnel to this huge cave, it was full of pipes dripping wet and more old machines, like the one on the surface. Ahead there was this futuristic glass capsules, all frozen, like those in sci-fi movies!

Out of curiosity, I wiped one with my bare hands to see what was inside, it was extremely cold and there was a person inside there! At least looked like a person, but could it be a statue? Whatever that was, It couldn't move around anymore, so horrible. It was too dark to find a way out; it should be a light switch around there somewhere. I was groping around till' I bumped into a panel, full of switches and buttons, one of them must be the light, if this place still have energy to keep that fridges working.

I pushed the biggest switch on the panel and soon all the fluorescent bulbs on the ceiling turned on. Now that I could see, I looked around and found a big metal door, I ran to it, but there wasn't a way that I could open myself by this side, It was locked. I came back to the panel and tried to read the inscriptions, but they were worn at some points, and others were strange runes. I wanted to push all the buttons till' the door opened itself. This was the stupidest idea, of course! What else could happen in that place if I do that? However, I was too impatient! No one would ever come to save me, no one knew that I was there, I even doubt that someone knows that place and just my dad and Becca would miss me for this long. It was the faster way to get out! With that statement, I started to push all the buttons and turn all the switches.

This play caused loud noises from the pipes and engines creaking. There were just two buttons left, I press the biggest, red one and a great escape of air scared me, some strange smoke appeared of nowhere. When I looked to the capsules, my blood froze, they were turned off. I approach my face to the glass, but I couldn't see anything, it was too dark inside. I scream to death when some THING, a horrible monster hit the glass roaring loud. My heart almost stopped! This creature has big red eyes, white skin and threatening teeth. What is this thing that was almost breaking the glass?

I wouldn't wait for it to break the glass, I ran away and hid myself in one of these tunnels. I heard the sound of glass breaking, that thing was free. I were trying to control my breath, pressing my back against the wall, and then I saw its shadow on the floor, it was looking for me! Sweat was dripping of my face as I saw the shadow pass right through where I was hiding and gone.

Soon as the shadow went away, I get out of where I was hiding and ran on the opposite direction, looking back to certificate that this monster wasn't following me, because of that I didn't saw what was in front of me and I ended up bumping into something and falling again. This something was a tall man, with gray moustache and wearing what looked like aviator clothes. I tried to warn him about the monster and he said that thing was an experiment, called shape shifter, he seemed a bit too relaxed.

He was trying to open the door, but if it was locked all the time, how he could have entered? I asked him that and he didn't answered. This was suspicious. I forced him to answer me, but he snapped his head in my direction, roaring and showing his fangs! He was the monster! He tried to bite me, but I was faster than him, he hit his face on the ground. It was my chance, I picked up a piece of broken pipe and I hit him with all my strength on his back and went to the panel, there was just a button left.

I pushed it and ran to the opened door, it doesn't took long for the beast to get up and come after me. Before he could catch me, I pass through the gap of the door and tried to close it, but I couldn't, it isn't moving. That thing was coming, I looked everywhere but the only thing I found was a little rope, like the ones of old table lights. I pulled expecting the worse, the monster hand was almost touching me when the door closed. In addition, I was showered and dried in some sort of cabin, that was so fast and unexpected, it scared me again!

A sign was glowing with the inscription "DECONTAMINATION COMPLETE" and an opposite door opened revealing a new room with more panels, screens, dusty beakers and other containers on a shelf. My nose was running already. I found a note where was written, "EXPERIMENT #210 'THE SHAPE SHIFTER' BECAME TOO DANGEROUS! PLACED IN CRYOGENIC STASIS."

Very good Hayleen! You let this thing scape! I learned my lesson: "Do not touch suspicious things!" I wouldn't push buttons anymore. There was another door, the best thing to do was keep going without touching anything. The other room was covered with big metal tiles, like an old rusty cube. That remind me of another movie, I felt chills with this memory.

Some tiles have weird symbols on it, I did my best not to touch them. The next door was pretty small and round, the words "CAUTION STAY OUT" wasn't much encouraging too. I grabbed the pulley and turned to open. Now my hands were even more dirty. That door leaded to another tunnel, I went in, closing the door behind me, I had to walk in four legs to pass through it, and the tunnel was too small. The exit was open, for my relief; I jumped out and saw that there was a map of Gravity Falls covering the tunnel's entrance.

I picked up the map from the ground and putted it back on the wall. My eyes was adjusted to the dark, this new room looked like an refuge, next to the map there was an wardrobe full of weapons and explosives, an improvised bed and food much food supply, wasn't the best food, but certainly this thing can last decades. There was a photo of the moustache guy covering the cans, now I know where that thing get that out.

It seems that the person who created this place was expecting the end of the world, or an alien invasion, like in the movies. Who did all this? Why Gravity Falls? There so many questions. Above the bed was a calendar of the year 1982, wow! I wasn't even born yet, the owner of this room must be old right now, if is still alive. I walked till' I found some stairs that lead to nowhere, strange, because that seemed to be an exit.

I looked for something to do about that and I found a big button on the wall – that was the last time – I pressed the button. The place trembled, dust fell from the ceiling and I could hear a great noise outside, the wall moved. Now there was an exit! I came up thought the wooden spiral stairs, I could even see the light of the sunset.

Soon I got out, the ground trembled and the hole was gone, there was just the strange tree from the beginning, I was back into the forest. I look back and seemed like nothing had happened, I was dirty and tired, the dress was torn, my hair was dusty and there were bruises on my legs. I was horrible, I would I tell to my dad?

I took the road alone, too ashamed to came back to the Mystery Shack with that appearance, luckily I saw a police car nearby. I reached them, the two police officers, a dark-skinned, short older man with gray mustache (Sheriff Blubs) and a skinny and pale man with a large pink nose, big ears, and a black uni-brow (Deputy Durland). They didn't looked like real policemen.

I tried to tell them what happened to me, but they didn't believed, they thought that I was nuts. So, I asked for a ride instead, surprisingly they recognized me as Mr. Pekelman's missing daughter. They made comments about my "horrible appearance" and gave to me a pink blanket with yellow ducks pattern to put on the seat so I don't dirty the seat this way.

All the way, they were singing a silly song or talking about how fast Sheriff Blubs can eat an entire stack of pancakes. When we arrived at home, my dad and Rebecca were in front of the door, she run to me and gave a suffocating hug. They told my dad that they "found me" wandering in the road, talking nonsenses.

My dad escort me to my room and I was expecting a lecture, I thought that he would yell at me, but he gave me a comforting hug, he was very worried about me. So I thought that is better if he didn't know anything, he may thing that I'm crazy or that I inventing lies because I don't like here or worst! On the other hand, if he do believe in me he will sent me back to mom because it's safer. I finally made friends and I still don't know what he is hiding from me. I will not let this happen!


	4. July 23 - Meeting the Mystery Twins

**July 23,**

My dad was awfully nervous when he came home last night, he thought that I was asleep, but I was faking. I heard his worried voice on Rebecca's phone, I thought it was because of me, but didn't seemed just that. I wait for him to came home and give me a good night kiss, I could swear I heard him saying "What I was thinking?" to himself. That is weird, why would he say that? What is going on?

I will deal with that later. I went to Mystery Shack again this morning, to find my dad's phone. For real this time!

The Shack was devastated by the zombie's accident, did they know the real cause of it? I couldn't find the phone outside, so I entered in the gift shop when I heard somebody singing "Taking Over Midnight" by &NDRA. I LOVE THIS SONG! I know all the lyrics! I couldn't help myself, I just started to sing together and ended up that the person who was singing was that Pines girl, she joined me to the chorus, that was fun!

We introduced to each other for the first time, her name is Mabel. She made awesome sweaters, she was wearing a pink one with a light bulb this time. I asked her for my cellphone and she helped me to find it, apparently, Mr. Pines had picked up from the ground earlier. I thanked Mr. Pines.

"Next time, be careful with your things kid, I was almost selling it." He said.

Mabel and I came outside, I was telling her that I was new on Gravity Falls, that I just arrived from New York and she became really interested, we talked a lot, mostly about Sev'ral Timez, that we both like. It was almost as she knew them in person! She is so shiny, and funny at ever comment she does, she seemed such a nice person that I gain courage to ask if she believes on the supernatural, since was just the two of us. She started to blabber something and suddenly stopped to ask me, with a funny skeptical look, why did I asked her that. I drop of sweat run through my face, "What do I do now?", "What to say?"

I was about to laugh and tell her to forget what I said, when her twin brother came in a hurry, holding an old book, saying "Mabel! Mabel! It's time to go find the place where the author of the journals must be-." Then he finally realized that she wasn't alone. He froze and I could read the page of the book he was showing to Mabel before he closed the book. That drawing! That was that place I was yesterday! I could identify the tree and the old machine that looks like a radio.

"What the- So you guys did know the weird thing of this town!" I said out, loud.

"What? Ha-ha! What… Am… What are you talking about?" He said, adverting his eyes and sweating a lot. Such a terrible liar.

"Don't lie! You know what I am talking about! That crowd of zombies at the party, that was your doing?" I was, kind of mad, he could have done that? Moreover, perhaps, be the responsible for that monster that almost killed me?

"It was but- Ouch!" I punched him on the arm.

"THOSE THINGS ALMOST KILLED ME!"

"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"

Mabel stood between us raising her arms.

"Easy, easy guys! Look, Dipper didn't want to do that on purpose. I mean, he wanted, but just to convince agents of the government that supernatural are real."

"And you prove your point by raising the dead?" Now it was my turn on being skeptical.

"That was not supposed to happen! That amount of zombies!" Oh Really?

"You could at least prove to them?" I asked.

"Well, not exactly… They were… They were eaten by the zombies."

"WHAT? Are you kidding me? You ruined my only chance to know what those agents have to do with my dad!" That made me very angry.

"Wait, what?" He asked.

I told them about the day when those guys in black came to the Shack, they talked to my dad and he went away, leaving me alone. And about last night, when he seemed troubled by something that he couldn't tell me.

"Hm… Maybe he is an agent in disguise. A secret agent." Mabel said.

"That's incredible! Now at least we have someone to tell about these mysteries!"

"Wow-wow-wow-wow! Not a chance of that to happen! We are not sure of that. He is my dad. He will think that I'm a crazy with crazy friends. Do you know what he can do if he suspect that? He will send me away to my mom on New York. Because she can afford a psychologist, and he can't afford a problematic girl on his busy life!"

I said too much, I could feel my cheeks burning of embarrassment. I'm a nuisance after all… What made me thought that this time would be different? That I could make friends. I was too embarrassed to look at them; I could only stay still, staring at the ground.

Mabel touched my shoulder and I raised my head to look at her, she was smiling sweetly.

"That is okay Hay. We understand."

She nudged her brother with her elbow.

"…Yeah… We won't tell anything." He was clearly annoyed.

"Why?" I asked.

Mabel held my hands and looked straight at me.

"You said yourself before, don't you? We are friends."

I was grinning so much that I almost cried. I made another friend, on my third day here.

"Thank you Mabel!"

Dipper was still suspicious of me.

"…And thank you too Dipper. Don't worry! I will properly investigate my dad's matter by myself."

"Right!" He smiled.

I felt the phone ringing again, It was my dad calling me, he wanted me to go home right way. I said goodbye to Mabel and Dipper and did as he said.

Just by the end of the day, that I remembered that I didn't told them about the bunker! I called Mabel later at night, but was Dipper who answered and we ended up arguing again, because I told him that was my fault that the shape-shifter have escaped. In addition, I forgot to tell them about it earlier (as I though, they were planning to go to the bunker today…) I apologized, but I'm sure that he was still mad about the punch, and this was the payback. So childish!

After that, I called Liz (that is how Spencer calls Eyli, it's so cute that made me want to call her that way too) and told her everything, for my surprise, she befriend with Dipper and Mabel when she first came to Gravity Falls too. She talked a lot about Dipper, the way she described him didn't matched at all with my vision of him, like they are totally opposite persons. Two Dippers? Seriously? I couldn't afford one. We talked for two hours and I told her about my suspicious about dad too, she understood, as if she knew this feeling, and we promised to support each other.


End file.
